Liquids



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. G. PEGK.

PROCESS OF DISTILLING AND GONGENTRATING LIQUIDS. No. 329,074.

Patented Oct. 27, 1885..

a d I Idlll N. PETERS. Pnulo-Lima m hm. Washingkm, n, (L

2 Sheets-Sheet 2:.

(No Model.)

0. G. PEGK.

PROCESS OF DISTILLING AND GONUENTRATING LIQUIDS. N0. 329,074.

Patented Oct. 2'7, 1885,

N. PETERS, Phmmuthu n mr. washin lnn, D. C,

hlllThiD Sra'rns All a;

CASSIUS O. PEGK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SP'SQIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. $29,074:, dated @otober 27,1885.

Application filed August 29, 1885. Serial No. 175,639. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CASSIUS 0. PEC'K, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Distilling and Concentrating Liquids, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to the process of either distilling or concentrating liquids in which the heat primarily imparted to the condensing-liquid in the first of a series of condensingchambers is utilized to vaporize such condensing liquid, the vapor of which latter is condensed in such manner as to in turn vaporize the condensing liquid contained in the next succeeding chamber, andso on continuously until the temperature has been reduced to a degree beyond whichit cannot be further profitably utilized. Heretofore such processes have been conducted in closed apparatus at pressure both above and below that of the atmosphere, as described, for instance, in my applicationh o. 170,107, filed June 29, 1885, in which ample provision is made for economically operating at both high and low pressures; but in thus working under pressure it is necessary to have apparatus of such form and strength as to'resist the internal strain when working under high pressureand the external strain when working under low pressure, or in cacao, and the use of numerous force and exhaust pumps is essential,while the discharge of the liquid of condensation has to be effected by special devices for maintaining unimpaired the pressure or the vacuum. The power required to operate the necessary pumps, 8a)., in connection with the relativelylarge degree of loss of heat by radiation when working at high pressure tends to materially neutralize the advantages attending the process of successive evaporations and condensations, while if the vacuum is maintained by the use of Torricelliaircolumns there will be, in

many situations, undue difficulty and expense in arrangement of apparatus.

In my present processl conduct the several series of condensations and evaporations under atmospheric pressure alone in such manner as to dispense entirely with the use of pumps or other operative parts requiring power, and avoid the use of heavy and eX- pensive apparatus as well as all danger of bursting or collapse. I am enabled to accomplish similar results more economically, both in respect to the cost of operation and of apparatus, since thelatter, being of simple form and automatic in operatiomrequires no skilled attendance, while the only energy or heat required to carry on the process is that imparted to the first one in a series of the consecutive evaporations.

By my new process the operation is positively continuous and automatic, and may be carried on for an indefinite length of time without danger of interruption or delay arising from the failure of operative parts, the latter being entirely dispensed with, excepting only the necessary valves for controlling the supply of liquid, which, together with the liquid of condensation, flows by gravity.

WVhileI donot seek to cover, broadly,acontinuous system of evaporation or distillation in which the condensation in one step of the process effects the vaporation in another, still I am not aware that heretofore any process has been devised by which a continuous series of distillations or concentrations could be effected under normal or atmospheric pressure where the vapors have a less tension than the pressureof the atmosphere, (and are therefore in temperature below the boiling-point of the liquid,) in such manner that each step in the series shall consist in evaporating the liquid, condensing, practically, all the vapor, and removing the resulting liquid of condensation independently, while using the caloric imparted to effect the first vaporization to effect successively all the other vaporizations in the process. To effect this result economically under the changed conditions arising from the uniform pressure throughout the system is the ing-point,while the steam having access above pans which are arranged in what'practically constitute a single chamber counteracts or prevents the process of condensation, the only effective step being that in which the resulting vapors are passed under an independent heat to the liquid to be evaporated in the next step, and so on continuously, there being no direct communication between the several evaporating-chambers, and the temperature being continuously lower in each succeeding one through the series. In my process the low-tension vapors raise into contact with the condensing-surfaces by gravity alone, whereas heretofore sufficient heat has been imparted to enable the vapors to overcome the pressure of the atmosphere. Heretofore such processes and apparatus designed to work under atmospheric pressure have been adapted in a measure to the concentration of liquid solutions; but aseries of distinct and separate distillations either of the same or different liquids cannot be carried on independently and simu1taneons1y,as in my system, and in no proper sense is there a duplicate use of the caloric, which is the essential feature in my process, in which the heat passes from one chamber to the other only through the dividing-partitions, there being no minglingof the vapors, which never leave the respective chambers in which they are evolved, the condensation resulting from their contact with the cooler walls of the adjoining chamber alone being removed.

My'invention also includes, as an essential part of the system of rendering effective under atmospheric pressure the maximum amount of heat employed, the process of abstracting the excess of heat contained in the liquid ofcondensation and returning the same to the main process through the medium of the liquid supply.

In operating under atmospheric pressure it is of course desirable to utilize all the heat except that which is unavoidably lost by radiation (and which I prevent as far as possible by suitable insulation) in effecting the vaporization of the largest possible quantity of liquid. I accomplish this largely by regulating the condensing-surfaces in each compartment with relation to the temperature to be attained therein,the compartments nearest the primary source of heat having comparatively small condensing-surfaces,owing to the rapidity of circulation within the condensing liquid, which circulation becomes less rapid as the temperature is reduced by succeeding operations, so that in the latter an increased condensing-surface is required in order to effect a nearly-uniform supply of the liquid of condensation from each other.

Although giving the most economical results, I do not wish to confine myself to the exact proportion of condensing -surface required for effecting acertain amount of condensation at every given temperature, nor to any particular form of apparatus.

The accompanying drawings illustrate apparatus by which my improved process may be carried into effect, although it is obvious that other forms and variations may be used without departing from the spirit of my invention, which consists, essentially, in conducting the several operations simultaneously under atmospheric pressure.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in vertical section, of a plant of condensing and evaporating chambers superposed in rows. Fig. 2 is a vertical section upon a larger scale of two adjoining compartments. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through plane of line 0000, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of three of a series of horizontally-arranged compartments. The combined evaporating and condensing compartments A in each series are preferably superposed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3,alt-hough they may, if preferred, be arranged horizontally, as shown in Fig. 4, in which case the liquid in the first compartment is illustrated as heated directly by means of a furnace, at, arranged underheath. Ordinarily, however, the heat for the first operation of evaporation will be imparted by steam from any source of supply admitted through a suitable pipe, 19, into the j acket a,surrounding the first tank, A. The water of condensation is conveyed from the lower part of the jacket a through apipe, p, to the main collecting-pipe P.

The liquid to be evaporated is introduced into the first evaporatingtank, A, through a branch supply-pipe, q, connected with the main supply-pipe Q, which communicates with the liquor-reservoir Q.

A jacket, R, surrounds the pipe p for a suitable distance, and constitutes a portion of the supply-service, through which the liquid to be concentrated or evaporated passes upon its way to the tank A.

The vapor arising'from the. tank A passes upward and around the bottom and two sides of the tank A, filling the space a and, being condensed by the cooler surface of the tank, drips down into the longitudinal collectinggutters b b, by which the condensation is conveyed to a common trough, Z2, at the rear of the compartment. From the trough b the liquid of condensation is conducted by'a pipe, 19 to the main collecting-pipe P, heating in its passage thereto the feed liquid contained in the jacket B, through which the supply to the next succeeding evaporating -tank, A passes. Each of the'succeeding evaporatingtanks, A A A and A", are arranged and connected successively with each other and the main collecting-pipe P and supply-pipe connected with a separate source of supplyas, for instance, where a different kind of liquid is to be treated. Each compartment is formed with the vaporspace a The inner end of each supply-pipe q (f q, 860., is supplied with a ball float-valve, f f f f &c., for the purpose of maintaining a prescribed level in each tank. Suitable hand-valves, 1212 12 8m, are also provided in each supply-tank for the purpose of cutting off the supply from any of the tanks, when desired. Each tank is also provided with suitable collecting-gutters, b, and troughs 12.

Various forms of collecting gutters or surfaces may be employed, according to circumstances, Fig. 2 showing modifications thereof, as well as a modified form of tank-bottom intended to facilitate the condensation of the vapor.

Any number of compartments may be arranged, one above the other, either single or in rows, as shown in Fig. 1, in which the left-hand series of tanks are shown as closed by doors D D D 850., which are secured in place by means that will render the man-holes liquid-tight when closed. Any suitable contrivance may be employed for this purpose, screws being indicated in Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, each succeeding tank exceeds in length that last preceding itin proportion to the difference in temperature between them, so that the increased condensing-surface afforded by the bottom and sides of the last tank will compensate for its lower temperature, and be enabled to condense a volume of vapor equivalent, or nearly so, to that condensed by the outer surface of the last preceding tank. This same result may be accomplished by proportionately varying the area of condensingsurfaces upon the several tanks in various waysas by a system of corrugations or depressions of greater or less depth-by varying the height of the respective tanks, 850., the form shown in the drawings being a simple extension of plane surfaces.

In the modified form of apparatus shown in Fig. 4 the vapor passes over into the space 0, is condensed upon the side of the next succeeding tank, and the liquid of condensation is collecte il and conveyed into suitable troughs by the gutters c, as hereinbefore set forth.

In cases where it is desirable to remove the residual vapor from the last. tank, A, a fanblower, E, or other equivalent means may be employed by a current of fresh air, which shall be brought in contact with the liquid, and then discharged into a flue or into the atmosphere.

The pipes 12 19 &c., for conducting off the liquid of condensation, are bent slightly beyond the ends of the jacket R B &c., in order to prevent the too rapid escape of the liquid of condensation, as shown at s.

Apertures w to may be made in the side walls of the several chambers at desirable positions for communicating with the atmosphere.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The process herein described of effecting a series of independent evaporations and con- ;densations of the liquid under treatment at tensions of vapor below the boiling-point of such liquid, under atmospheric pressure and by aid of gravity, consisting in causing the vapor arising from the distillation in one evaporating and condensing chamber to impart its latent heat to the liquid to be distilled in another separate, distinct, and independent evaporating and condensing chamber, the va por thereby evolved being in turn used to effeet the vaporization of another body of liquid contained in a like succeeding chamber, and so on continuously throughout the series, sub stantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. The process herein described of equalizing the amount of condensation effected in a series of separate and independent evaporating and condensing chambers under atmospheric pressure at tensions of vapor below the boiling-point of the liquid under treatment and aided by gravity, substantially as herein described, consisting in proportioning the amount of condensing-surface in each chamber with relation to the temperature to be maintained therein during operation, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

8. In combination with the system herein described of eit'ecting a series of separate and independent distillations under atmospheric pressure at tensions of vapor below that of the boiling-point of the liquid under treatment by the aid of gravity, substantially as described, the process herein set forth of utilizing the heat liberated by one condensation to effect the evaporation of the condensing-liquid, consisting in causing the vapor to condense upon the cooler surface of a receptacle containing the condensing-liquid, collecting said liquid of condensation, and causing it to impart its eX- cess of heat to the condensingliquid, sub stantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

I OASSIUS O. PEOK.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. Mmrr, WM. GARDNER. 

